'US drone attack' kills several

A suspected US drone missile attack kills at least three people and injures two others in Pakistan's North Waziristan.

At least three people have been killed in a suspected US drone missile strike in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal district, an area under the control of Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Senior Pakistani security official said that the latest missiles struck a compound at Haiderkhel village, some 25km east of Miranshah on Wednesday.

Miranshah is the main town of North Waziristan tribal district bordering Afghanistan.

"A US drone fired two missiles at a militant compound. At least three militants were killed and two others were injured," a security official told the AFP news agency.

Strikes stir anger

Most of the estimated 100 missile attacks last year inside Pakistan have taken place in North Waziristan, a tribal area effectively under the control of Taliban and al-Qaeda groups.

Pakistani officials protest the strikes, but they are believed to have secretly authorised at least some of them. Analysts also say targeting information for many of the attacks is likely to be provided by Pakistani intelligence officials.

The missile attacks have been credited with killing many top ranking fighters, but they have also stirred nationalist anger in Pakistan due to the high numbers of civilian casualties.

The frequency of the attacks has more than doubled last year compared to 2009, suggesting the US administration sees the tactic as a key to reducing the strength of fighters planning attacks in Afghanistan.

The US does not as a rule confirm drone attacks, but its military and the Central Intelligence Agency operating in Afghanistan are the only forces that deploy the aircraft in the region.

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